GeoRealityMatch
Colorful San Pedro Belize sign illuminated under a starry night sky with palm trees and sandy beach.Vibrant riverside houses surrounded by palm trees and greenery under a blue sky.

Belize

North America · Central America

Affordable Cost of LivingHigh Development
HDI0.700#116 / 191High
GDP / Capita$8K#96 / 190Upper-mid
Life Expectancy74 yrs#100 / 195Moderate
Population423K170th
PPP / Capita$15KLow
Gender Inequality0.454High

English-speaking Central America: Mayan ruins, a barrier reef, relaxed jungle lifestyle.

At a Glance

48
ModerateSafetyPerceived safety, higher is safer
63
AffordableCost of LivingHigher is cheaper to live in
95
HighWater AccessShare of people with basic water access
📈

Belize's Human Development Index

0.700

High human development

#116 of 191 countries worldwide, #18 of 23 in North America.

Higher than 39% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.

Closest indicators in this dataset

Life expectancy at birth73.7 yrs (2024)
GNI per capita$7,530 (2025)

World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.

Nearest countries by HDI

#114Samoa0.702#115Kyrgyzstan0.701
#116Belize0.700
#117Venezuela0.699#118Bolivia0.698
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →
📖

Belize

Belize is a small Central American country with a Caribbean coast, the second largest barrier reef in the world, and a lush interior of jungle, Maya ruins, and cave systems that make it a paradise for nature lovers and divers. The culture is an unusual blend of Caribbean, Maya, Garifuna, and colonial British influences, giving it a distinct character unlike its Spanish-speaking neighbours. Those expecting polished infrastructure will need to adjust their expectations.

  • Only country in Central America with English as its official language.
  • Has the second largest barrier reef system in the world after Australia's.
  • More jaguars per square kilometre than almost any country in the Americas.
📍

Quick Facts

Capital

Belmopan

Languages

Belizean Creole, English, Spanish

Currency

$ BZD

Area

22,810 km²

💻

Nomad Hub

Fixed Broadband

51Mbps

Moderate106th globally
PlugType A/B
💻

Digital Nomad Visa

Min. Income

$6,250/mo

Duration

6 months

Renewable

Unclear

Application Fee

~BZD 500

~$250

Application difficultyMedium
Tax treatmentExempt
Processing time—
Health insuranceRequired
DependentsYes (+$100)
Apply onlineIn person / consulate
Path to residency—
Open to all nationalitiesYes
Official page

GDP / Capita

i

$8K

Lower Mid

PPP / Capita

i

$15K

Upper Mid

Inflation

i

1.1%

Low

Unemployment

i

8.9%

Moderate

GNI / Capita

i

$8K

Lower Mid

FDI Inflows

i

0.0%

Education Spend

i

4.6%

Cost of Living

i

46.9

Affordable

Price Level Index

i

37th pct

Moderate

20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast

Income & inflation over time

i
+42% nominal-1% real
$5K$11K$16K2%4%6%200620102015202020252028
GDPPPPInflationIMF forecast

HDI since 1990

0.609 → 0.700 (+0.091)Year by year →
1990: 0.6091991: 0.6161992: 0.6241993: 0.6301994: 0.6341995: 0.6361996: 0.6391997: 0.6411998: 0.6421999: 0.6502000: 0.6572001: 0.6612002: 0.6702003: 0.6792004: 0.6852005: 0.6822006: 0.6972007: 0.7042008: 0.7092009: 0.7152010: 0.7202011: 0.7192012: 0.7222013: 0.7212014: 0.7162015: 0.7142016: 0.7202017: 0.7162018: 0.7152019: 0.7182020: 0.7052021: 0.6982022: 0.700

UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.

Twenty years here

Year by year →The world report →
Life expectancy at birth70.3 → 73.7 (+3.4)
Internet users24 → 80 (+56)
Urban population46 → 42 (-5)
Births per woman3.17 → 2.02 (-1.15)
Renewable share of energy26 → 31 (+5)
Access to electricity84 → 100 (+16)
Infant mortality17 → 11 (-6)
CO2 emissions per person0.5 → 0.9 (+0.4)
Forest area63 → 55 (-8)

World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).

Thinking about Belize for real?

The matcher weighs your budget, timeline and dealbreakers against the same data on this page, then answers with the places that actually fit.

Find your match →
🗺️

Neighbouring Countries

Guatemala
Guatemala
Mexico
Mexico
💬

Quick answers

What is Belize's Human Development Index?

Belize's Human Development Index is 0.700 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #116 of 191 countries.

How expensive is Belize?

Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Belize at 46.9 (New York = 100); that is #86 cheapest of 143 countries with data.

What is life expectancy in Belize?

Life expectancy at birth in Belize is 73.7 yrs (World Bank), ranked #100 of 195 countries.